Everyday in Skyhold
by FallingT
Summary: A collection of shots about life in Skyhold! [1]In a day like many other at Skyhold, half the Inquisition is running around to find its Leader that has suddenly disappeared into thin air. After looking in every corner of the stronghold, Cassandra finds her in the last place she'd expected, much to Cullen surprise too. [Solavellan] [2] Cullen/Dorian [3-4] Varric/Cassandra WIP
1. Sleep Deprived

**So this is my first Dragon Age story ever. I had ideas before but this one stuck with me for a while so I decided to give it a try!**  
 **Some infos:**  
 **\- This is based on my playthrough and on my Inquisitor Thalia Lavellan (archer)**  
 **\- It's Solavellan story**

 **I own nothing but my Inquisitor.**

* * *

Sleep Deprived

The sun was high over Skyhold, every single part of the stronghold was buzzing with life, people carrying their duties out. The guards were patrolling the battlements, recruits were training under the clinical eye of Knight Captain Rylen, Leliana's scouts were running around, delivering reports and picking up lines of conversation on their way. The main hall was filled with nobles and dignitaries from all over Thedas, chatting and gossiping, all awaiting to steal a glance of the famous Inquisitor.  
Her Worship the Herald of Andraste, leader of the Inquisition, though, was nowhere to be found.  
Her absence hadn't gone unnoticed and soon half of Lady Lavellan's companions, along with a handful of the Spymaster's people, had been unleashed to found her under Josephine's strict orders.  
She wasn't at the Tavern and neither Bull, Sera or Cole had seen her passing trough.  
She wasn't in the Library, where one could usually find her reading alongside Dorian.  
Her lover confessed to have lost her traces since that morning, but he assured a rather frantic Cassandra that she was to be found between the safety of the battlements.  
Varric reported that she wasn't in the servitude's area as well, which was odd since that was where Thalia would be if not busy.  
Dorian came back from the hidden library informing that there was no trace of her down there.  
Morrigan had shook her head when asked if she had crossed paths with the Inquisitor in the Gardens.  
Even Leliana could not say where she was.  
And that had everyone at a loss.  
Had she disappeared on them? Did someone kidnapped her under their noses? Did a rift open and swallowed her? Hypothesis were raised and shoot down. Everyone seemed to have their opinion but then again, Solas had assured them she was still in Skyhold...  
Cassandra had Dorian double check her quarters before heading out to Cullen's office. She was almost positive that the Commander would be oblivious on where their leader had disappeared to, but he basically was the last one left yet be asked.  
The Seeker impatiently knocked on his door and politely waited for answer before storming in.  
Cullen watched her over worried face with curiosity; it wasn't an everyday occurrence to see the woman wearing such an expression. Something was wrong.  
'What happened now?' he groaned, straightening on his char, neck snapping after so many hours stiffened on reports.  
'The Inquisitor has vanished.' She stated in a more steady voice that he'd expected.  
'The _Inquisitor_...has _vanished_.' He repeated, stressing the key words.  
Cassandra started to pace up and down his office.  
'We've searched the whole of Skyhold but she's nowhere to be found! – she exclaimed half exasperated. – I'm this close to sending out a patrol, but Solas has assured us she's still inside...' she trailed off.  
Cullen kept silent, slowly processing what the Seeker had just told him.  
How could she still be there when no one had yet to find her?  
The worst scenarios started to crowd his mind: demons, Venatori, rifts, more demons, Corypheus...  
'I-' The commander's words were cut off as a loud moan filled the air.  
Cassandra's head snapped towards him and watched him wide-eyed as Cullen started to violently blush.  
There was no mistake, what they had just heard was the Inquisitor's voice.  
'Commander...is there something I should _know_?' she deadpanned.  
The ex-Templar stood up in a rush, ready to defend himself and the honour of the Herlad, but his voice caught in his throat as he watched said Lady travel down the ladder that led to his "quarters".  
She approached the two of them yawning and stretching, like she had just woken from an extremely satisfactory sleep.  
' _Inquisitor..._ ' Cullen called her out reproachfully, rubbing his temples.  
Thalia came to a stop when she noticed the Seeker standing next to the Commander wearing an extremely scary face.  
'I..uhm..' she said tentatively.  
Cassandra practically charged at her, fury in her eyes.  
' **Speak. Now.** ' She ordered the other woman.  
A light blush could be seen crawling on her long ears as she tried her best to clear her voice and hide the embarrassment.  
'I, um, came by this morning to talk to Cullen about some issues with the Templars but he wasn't at his desk so I peeked up in his room. He wasn't there either, _obviously_ , but before going back down my eyes fell on a book that was lying around on the floor...' she blurted out 'I had wanted to read that one for some time but when I got to take it Dorian told me someone had it already but didn't know who...' grumbled Thalia giving Cullen a stern look of accusation at which he flinched.  
'So when I found it I started reading it right where I stood and after some time I fell asleep..'  
Cassandra groaned in disbelief at the woman carefree attitude, but the Inquisitor's admission had the Commander chuckle in amusement.  
'Oh don't look at me like _that_! – she bit back at Cassandra's unsympathetic look – I haven't been sleeping _much_ lately.' She winked teasingly.  
Both the warriors were flushing red as they caught up with her innuendo.  
'It seems your doing your job properly then, Chuckles!' laughed Varric behind them.  
Thalia turned to see the dwarf standing on the door to the Rotunda with Dorian and Solas on tow.  
The elf's lips were slightly pulled into a smile – which his lover recognised to be one of pride – and she realised that the trio had been standing there for enough time.  
'For the Maker's sake, go see Josephine _**now**_ , Thalia!' Cassandra groaned from beside her.  
The Inquisitor suddenly tensed up at her companion using her name instead of one of her titles; if the Seeker was ordering her around on a first name base then she definitely had to hurry.  
She hurried out of the poor Commander's office passing through a way too amused dwarf, a mage with a knowing smile and a very proud lover.  
'Good luck Kitten!' called Varric after her.  
She almost didn't catch her fellow rouge words as she was too busy building up her determinations that was slowly crumbling under Solas hungry eyes.  
' _I'll see you later, Assan._ ' He whispered in her ear as she passed him.  
Thalia blushed as expectation built up inside her and she rushed into the Rotunda before she could let herself throw all her engagements for the day over the battlement and drag Solas to her quarters.  
As she disappeared from sight, Cullen fell back on his chair with a dull thump.  
'Maker's breath, there'll never be an uneventful day with her around...' he sighed.  
Cassandra shook her head, a sigh of relief silently leaving her lips.  
Varric chuckled and Dorian laughed wholeheartedly.  
'Indeed.' Came also Solas' response definitely but still subtly amusement.

* * *

*Assan = elevn for Arrow

 **This is just a one shot but I think I'll make it in a series of drabbles and then, once I've finished this playthorugh, I'll probably keep the story going for my Inquisitor with a Long.**  
 **But anyway, there's still a long way to go!**  
 **Thanks a lot for reading!**


	2. Privacy

**Privacy**

'Are you sure we are allowed to be in here?' Cullen apprehensively asked Dorian, as the mage opened the door to the Inquisitor's quarters.  
'I'm sure we'll live, if Thalia does not find out.' He dismissed the Commander worries, idly walking up the stairs.  
Cullen sighed and followed.  
If they wanted their intrusion to go unnoticed, they'd have to stand still in the middle of the room and not touch a thing. She was extremely... _methodical_ when it came to the arrangement of her things, though it couldn't be said the same thing about herself.  
He watched as Dorian started to move confidently in the woman's space; he had something in mind and the Commander was almost scared to know what it was.  
'Stop standing there like a lamp post, will you? We have work to do!' Dorian called him out, startling him out of his thoughts.  
'And by the Maker, what is this _work_?' he asked, regretting it immediately when the Tevinter man turned around with a wicked look on his face.  
'Our dear friend has lost a bet and naively thought I'd forgot about collecting my reward...' he said, still pacing through the room.  
'Andraste preserve me...' Cullen muttered under his breath. 'Do I want to know what this bet was about?'  
Dorian laughed, and the Commander felt that now familiar tingle go through his body; he loved to hear him laugh, to see the muscles of his back stretch under his robes...  
'She said that I would never be able to talk Solas into trying some... _interesting_ _things_ in bed.' He said, sparing a glance to the Commander, who was now starting to blush in that way Dorian found adorable.  
'I gather you managed to convince him...' he grumbled, embarrassment and frustration building up in the spreading blush.  
The thought of the Inquisitor and Solas doing... _interesting things_ was...most disturbing.  
He hoped to be able to watch them both in the face without going on fire, now that he knew.  
'What can I say, I have my way with words...' Dorian grinned, satisfied.  
 _Trust me, I know._ Cullen smirked, remembering a few occasions in which the mage's words had stirred more than a thing in him.  
'So..- the Commander began but stopped to clear his throat, his voice had come out slightly hoarse. – So, what was your _reward_ , exactly?' he asked, a smile still played on his lips.  
Dorian turned to face him once more, greedily taking in the sight of his favourite Commander standing in his full armour, a hip coked out and a _oh so sexy_ smirk on his _oh so arousing_ scarred lips.  
'I get to know every detail of their dalliance, of course.' He declared, extremely proud of himself.  
Cullen snorted, amused and definitely not surprised of that outcome.  
'Why are we here then?'  
'I told you our dear Kitten has "forgotten" to fulfil her promise, hence I'll found out by myself.' He announced, going back to his search.  
'On a drunken night she confessed she was keeping a journal, several actually. One of those **must** hold the story I'm looking for.'  
'Of course.' The Commander scoffed, crossing his arms on his chest and not in the least inclined to move a muscle.  
Dorian fussed around the room for some time before coming to a full stop in front of him.  
'You're not gonna help, are you.' He asked, though it was much more of a statement than anything.  
Cullen looked him straight in the eyes, a smile still tugging at his scarred lip.  
Dorian couldn't help but glance down at his lips; it was the first time in all his life that he felt so attracted to somebody else's mouth...usually it was the potential of the mouth that intrigued him, not the lips themselves...but Cullen's...that small scar was driving him crazy.  
It had been a while now that between the two hung a strange charge, but Dorian wouldn't let himself believe there was something more to it..  
'I'm not going to poke around the Inquisitor's belongings, Dorian. We will be lucky enough if she doesn't notice your very _discreet research_...'  
Dorian ignored his stubbornness and inclination to stick to formalities, and just enjoyed how his name rolled off his tongue, like it was meant to be said by him.'You know, you could just simply make up some excuses and get her drunk, then you could ask again. I'm sure she'll gladly tell you.' He offered, remembering how much Thalia loved sharing when she was in the right mood.  
'My my, – Dorian mused, stepping closer. – I didn't know you had it in you. Such mischief, Commander...I like it.' He murmured, now standing just a few inches from the other man.  
Cullen couldn't help the blush that spread on his face once more; the way Dorian had pronounced his title made his hart falter in a way he hadn't experienced in so much time...  
If he had to be honest to himself, it was not the first time he had been attracted to another man, but the tensions that had built between them was something completely different, something he did not know how to handle.  
'What can I say...I learn fast.' He chuckled, though his voice had dropped considerably.  
'Do you, now...' the mage voice reduced to just a whisper.  
Right there Cullen decided he had had enough of that fast and loose, the teasing, the tension...he wanted to do something.  
His arms moved before his brain, reaching out to pull Dorian even closer, clutching on the belt of his robes. He smiled when the mage's eyes widened in surprise, clearly he was not expecting him to make a move.  
Dorian had been caught off guard, though he did not care much if that was going to go where he hoped...  
Cullen leaned in, slightly inclining his head, glanced down at Dorian lips, and finally he closed the distance between them.  
He kissed him rather chastely at first, lightly nibbling at his lower lip, but when Dorian pressed his tongue on his lips, asking for entrance, he gladly gave him access.  
The Tevinter hands travelled on the Commander's body for as much as his armour could allow him; when Cullen answered by cupping his rear, Dorian let a moan escape his throat.

From the stairs, Thalia was idly watching the scene unfold in front of her eyes; at her side Solas was leaning on the wall, smirking. They stood there, silently, as the two men talked in hushed whispers, flirting back and forth. When she finally saw Cullen reach out and kiss Dorian, she barely contained her excitement, and only because Solas gently elbowed her in the ribs. They waited, politely diverting their eyes – though Thalia couldn't resist and peeked. She stayed silent, letting her two friends work out some of their steam. When they started to make a go for the bed, then she popped up.  
'I know you've been waiting for all of this, but the bed is off limits guys.' She mused, stepping up into the room.  
The two men promptly stepped back from each other; Cullen blushed violently while Dorian murmured something in Tevene under his breath.  
Solas chuckled at the forwardness of his lover and walked to stand next to her.  
'Now vhenan, do not stress them too much. Let them go, for now.'  
Cullen and Dorian took the elf's words as their cue to flee, and left the Inquisitor's quarters.  
They were safe, for the moment, but Thalia was going to have her fun with the both of them later. But before there were a couple things she needed to do, and both involved the man she was now smiling up to.


	3. Let it go - Part1

**Let it go**

 _(Because there are never enough pop references.)_

 **Part 1.**

Cassandra was sparring in the ring, sweat was dripping from her face but her concentration was as sharp as ever. She was mildly fatigued but she handled the recruits with unsurprising ease. Everyone in Skyhold knew that Seeker Pentaghast was the best swordswoman of the whole Inquisition; even Cullen had lost at her more times he was glad to be able to count, much to Dorian amusement. She had even manhandled The Iron Bull, and more than once.  
One could have many opinions on Lady Pentaghast, but everyone agreed that if you were not ready to have your own ass delivered to you, it was better not to cross her.  
And of course that was a thing Varric kept doing. He half enjoyed it and half did it unconsciously, but Cassandra was ready to beat the shit out of him nine times out of ten.  
'You know, you should probably offer a drink to each of those poor recruits.' The Inquisitor said gingerly walking up on him.  
 _Damn her and her fine skills!_ , he rumbled between himself as his heartbeat steadied back to normal.  
'As long as she stays far away from me, I'll pay drinks for all of Skyhold.' He snorted, crossing his arms and leaning on the cold hard stone of the Main Hall's entrance.  
'Well, it kind of is your fault she is in such foul mood... - she chimed - She had come to trust you and you promptly stabbed her in the back.'  
Varric opened his mouth to defend himself, but Lavellan shrugged it off before he could say anything.  
'I know, I know. You had your reasons and I won't judge you. Hawke's here now, that is more than I could've asked for.' She offered with one of her rare smiles, squeezing his shoulder lightly.  
They stood in silence for a while, watching as Cassandra kicked the asses of one recruit at a time, never faltering despite the midday sun or the continuous exertion.  
'There's one thing I don't understand though...' She said out of the blue, her eyes locked on the sparring ring.  
'If you like her so much, why don't you try to be a bit more... _caring_?' She asked.  
Varric almost choke on his own spit.  
He did what now?!  
'Now now, your Inquisitorialness', I think you've misunderstood something here.'  
'Oh did I?' She said smugly.  
'Last time I checked you were writing a book for the woman, and the worst of your series at that. Tell me again how much you _hate_ her.' She crossed her arms and gave him one of her infamous glares.  
Varric couldn't reply to that. 'Swords & Shields' _was_ his worst serial and he was only writing it because Cassandra was reading it. It was a way to put things at ease between them, yes, but was it only that?  
He sighed and turned towards the woman standing at his side.  
'Whatever you say, Inquisitor.' He dismissed the whole discussion with a wave of his hand before retreating inside.

Thalia was left there to scowl, muttering things to herself. Matchmaking wasn't her favorite pass time, but she hated to see her friends denying themselves in this stubborn foolish way.  
'Should I go find something for you to hit, ma'vhenan?' Solas chuckled as he stopped in front of her.  
'No I'm... just frustrated, not angry.' She explained, gladly slipping between her lover's open arms.  
'And why is that?' He asked, caressing her back with soothing movements.  
'Because Varric and Cassandra like each other but are both too stubborn to put aside their differences to acknowledge it.' She murmured in the crook of his neck.  
Solas couldn't help the chuckle that left his lips, and Thalia thought that Varric had found the perfect nickname for him. She loved the sound of that little laugh, it had always made her feel all tingly.  
'I suppose you won't just stand aside and do nothing, correct?' He smiled knowingly.  
Thalia took a step back but did not leave the embrace; she stood on her toes and gave him a wicked grin.  
The mage shook his head but did nothing to persuade her. Not that he had the ability to do so, anyway.  
'I have plans.' She said matter-of-factly.  
Then she leaned to whisper in his ear.  
'In the mean time, you could give me some love.' She said allusively, lightly nibbling at his long ear.  
Solas went still for a second, but soon enough his body reacted to both her words and her actions.  
'Ma nuvinen.' He said, his voice already husky with the promise of the pleasure to come.

The Herald Rest was unusually quiet that night, Cassandra noted while sipping her expensive wine. She was seated at a table on the second floor near the windows, her copy of 'Swords & Shields' open on her knees. But she was distracted, she had already read the same passage for at least five times before giving up and closing the book shut on the table.  
For as much she wanted to deny her thoughts to travel towards a certain inhabitant of Skyhold, that night there was no way to keep her mind from wandering. While she was sparring, that morning, kicking the asses of all the recruits she could find in order to free herself from the residual anger that had grown inside her since the past week, she had noted Varric staring down from the entrance of the Main Hall.  
That damned dwarf had stayed there for the long part of two hours, just watching, and had left soon after the Inquisitor had joined him.  
 _I wonder what she said to him to make him run._ She found herself thinking, curious about the conversation they had held.  
She also didn't miss the embrace between her and Solas, which gave her heart a sad squeeze of longing causing her to bash a poor recruit right in the face.  
There was nothing wrong with being romantic, if not for when she caught herself feeling extremely lonely and longing for all those things she kept seeing and reading.  
She chugged down whatever remained of her glass and groaned, suddenly angry with herself.  
She had her faith, she didn't need a-  
'Seeker!' Bull's load voice bellowed in her proximity, making her jump and almost braking said glass.  
'How do you get to be so sneaky?!' she asked in disbelief. A Qunari _should not_ be able to jump on people like that!  
The Iron Bull obviously found her fright amusing and his powerful laugh filled the air of the tavern.  
'It's not my fault you had your head in clouds! Thinking about the dwarf, were you?' he said, taking a seat next to her.  
Cassandra's head snapped back to him and gave him a half-death-half-shocked glare.  
'What? No!' she rejected his allusion.  
When the mercenary didn't answer and simply stared at her with a knowing smile, she felt a blush creep on her cheeks and turned away.  
'How did you know?'  
'Ben-Hasserath, remember?'* he chuckled, satisfied.  
As Cassandra avoided his eyes, Bull took advantage and stole a look above them; Thalia was leaning on the railing, smiling and giving him the okay sign with her hand.  
 _That_ was his cue.

A floor above the Inquisitor smiled to herself with self satisfaction.  
'She doesn't like when other people know what she's thinking.' Cole said, next to her.  
She put a hand on his forearm and smiled.  
'I know, but this is for her own good, I promise.' She replied, sweet coating a bit.  
It wasn't like Cassandra _needed_ their aid, but she was almost fed up with hers and Varric's angry outbursts at each other, but mostly she was fed up with the sad glances they kept throwing at each other when they thought no one was watching.  
So they were going to help.  
'You should not _use_ Cole's abilities for such things, vhenan.' Solas said reproachfully from her other side.  
Thalia grimaced.  
'I'm not _using_ him, Solas.' She bit back a little more hastily than she had wished to.  
'I want to help!' the Spirit chimed in between them, at which she regained her smile.  
'See?' she grinned up at her lover who simply sighed and set back to watch the interaction downstairs.  
They spent some time like that, watching and listening to the conversation in which Krem and Blackwall had joined too at some point.  
'Cole?'  
The boy hummed in response to her.  
'Would you go check on the others, please?' she kindly requested.  
Without another word he was gone.  
'So what now?' Solas asked, curious against his better judgment.  
With a smug chuckle she leaned back into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder.  
'Now we wait for them to play their parts.' Was her simple reply.  
The elder man frowned.  
'And what about you?'  
There was no way she would simply stay out of the whole affair, he knew.  
'If I were to join in, then the whole operation would fail. I've been pestering the both of them for quite some time now, they would immediately notice I was up to something.' She replied earnestly.  
'I'll simply pull the strings and enjoy you, ma'vhenan.' She added, turning just enough to gain access to his bare neck and biting down lightly.  
That was enough to send a charge of pleasure through the men's body.  
'I see.'

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

 **Part 2 coming soon, do not fear!**  
Idk why, but Cassandra/Varric is my new OTP 3

*YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE WAITED TO USE THAT FREAKING LINE! *dances*

It seems my Lavellan is a lustful little thing ahahahah


End file.
